Hay chopper and discharge spout therefor



March 26, 1957 V. J. LUNDELL.

Filed Aug. 20, 1953.

Vernon.

INVENTOR.

HTTOR/VEY March 1957 v. J. LUNDELL HAY CHOPPER AND DISCHARGE SPOUT THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1953 v INVENTOR. Vernon J lava e H T TOR/VEY HAYCHQP PER DISCHARGESPDUT My invention relates to a hay chopper.

An bjec f m nt on is 11 pro ide a s svi which will gather hay from the field, 9r which will .cut standing crops in the field and whereby the same device will alsofurther chop the hay or other crop after it is gathered from the field, and to provide an apra gernent in which the crop thus chopped is efficiently thrown directly into a discharge member, said discharge member having a rear terminal point through which the material can pass into a Wagon or the like.

A further object or" my invention is to provide such a device in which the chopping portions of the device inelude certain members which will efiiciently gather or cut the crop material and thence impel the same uickly and directly into the discharge chute without the'necessityof using other conveying app tus and the like.

i A further object of my invention is to provide Such an arrangement which can be drawn by a tractor, and can be powered therefrom.

With these and other objects in view, my inve tig consists in the construction, arrangement, and combina: tion of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, anclillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device, portions thereof being ken in. ection, with parts rem ed,

Figure 2 is an end view of the device,

Figure 3 is a side view of the device with portions thereof being taken in cross section, with parts removed,

Figure 4 is an enlarged view taken in section along the ines Z f u e and Figure 5 is a detail.

My invention contemplates the provision of a hay chopper, which includes an arrangement wherein the same cutting device used to gather the crop, also chops the crop, and thence conveys the same directly to a discharge chute, such conveyance being performed in a manner wherein the chopped crop is directed thereto in a highly eflicient manner.

I have used the character to designate a transverse framework member to which are attached the framework members 11 which in turn are attached to a further transverse framework member 12.

Attached to the members ll are the shafts 13 upon which are journaled the wheels 14.

Suitably secured to the framework members is a downwardly concave a'rcuate housing 15 having the end walls 16 and journaled in the end walls 16 are the transverse shaft members 17 which are rigidly secured to the ends of the cylindrical pipe member 18.

Attached at spaced intervals along the pipe member 18 are the pairs of spaced cars 19 and pivotally secured to the cars 19 by means of the bolts 20 are the strap members 21 which are welded at 22 tothe transversely positioned members 23, the members 23 having the arcuate portions 24, and terminating in the beveled ends 25. Welded at 26 to one of the lower edges 27 of the 2,786,317 ,Bstentsd 26., 1&5?

me ber 15 i the ransverse c tting bar 28 ,havingtlls iasr dgel Th si clude a pen ng a 0 n att ched ab ut the perimet r of th s pen ng a 3. is an angula ly posi n dld schar s memb hav ng the upper wal 312 the lower wall 33, side wall 34 and the angularly inclined further side wall 35, all .of these walls r nerging int h r d ced po t on t '6 hich inc ud a d cha e e g a Ih ch ac er 38 vlndi ate a brace m mber,

I wi l b n te om F ure 1 tha th aricus nemers 2.3 a in st red relat on, so th t each m mber 3 as it rotates will p a ticallyll l the space be ween the fur her members .23; the e being fou ro o such members as shown in Figure 4.

One f t shafts passe th ough a ous ng 2, the ha sis a tac ed to a smal Pul y 40 o er ich pas s a be t L41, th be .1 pass ng over a la ger-pulley 42, thes p ll ys and elt eing pos tion d a ca in 4 Att shsd to the p l ey 2 s a shaft 44 wh ch is atrsch o the c p n wh h in tu n s att ched t a furth h rt shaft 4 w i h p ss thin the c sing 47., th casi g 4 i clud ng su b e ge ing f r dr in the shaft 48 which shaft passes through the furl fil easing me be a h sh ft 8 ng su tably connecte t he takeo PD er shaft of he ract r which dr s the evise, his, a ran emen h yd n the sha t 44 and'll Th cha t a si t s a fu the t am sr rar t on w ich xtends nto the portion 1 wh h s se ured at 52 to the hitching device 53 which includes-the open.- in .5 f r provi ing a tachment to th t actor ra ba he c aracter 55 indi ati g a f r her b a in memb r, the charact rs 56 and 5! n i at ng fu he f amework and bracing member The s n 47, 4 est upon a platform 58- i Th de ice ul ed along the fi ld b th tr ctor th dir ct on of t r o 59 as sh n n Fig res 1 and 4, he m m o t n n th di cti n of thear fsw 5.0.

During uch a n e c p s either estlisrs zar cut y the edges .25 of the membe .3 atthe l we PQilJl of retailers the m ria bein them; fur her clrcprssll p as he emb rs 2. p s the'sclge .29 of tbs bar 28, il chopped material thence beingthrown directly thrgugh the openin 30 a d into the chu e s mrrls n t e wa 32, 33, 34 and 35, the wall 35 serving to deflect and concentrate the material toward the portion 36, the material then passing through the opening 37 into the wagon and so forth, which is passing behind the unit, it being understood that the wagon or other receptacle can be towed in any desired manner.

In further explanation of the above, the standing crop will be cut at the ground level or slightly above due to the fact that the hammer members including the portions 24 are so heavy and travel at such a high rate of speed that the considerable impact at the moment of contact instantly severs the crop, with the edge 29 merely further chopping the crop into a more finely divided form.

I have found that the arcuate portions 24 in combination with the further elements of the members 23 provide an arrangement which has a very high efiiciency in gathering, chopping and impelling the material into the chute, the rotation of the entire unit providing an advantageous method for chopping and transferring the material for ensilage or other purposes in a highly efiicient manner.

The pivoting at 20 of the bars 21 permit the swinging units to be released momentarily when the units strike against unresisting members in the field, thereby preventing breakage of the swinging bars.

provides the advantages mentioned with other advantages being apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A crop gathering machine comprising a semi-cylin drical casing having its concavity facing downwardly and disposed transversely of the line of travel, a framework to which said casing is secured, a rotating chopping and gathering structure journalled in said casing and substantially co-axial therewith for chopping and gathering standing crops, and including a plurality of radially positioned hammers, an upper discharge spout communi eating directly through an upper portion of said casing,

the lower end of said spout being substantially co-extensive with said casing, the direction of rotation of the endsof said radially positioned hammers being such that when chopping said crops approximately at ground level or thereabove, said ends will travel in the same direction as that in which said machine is traveling, whereby said chopped crop will be impelled directly from said hammers upwardly into said spout and outwardly through the end'of said spout. 2. A crop gathering machine comprising a semi-cylindrical casing having its concavity facing downwardly and disposed transversely of the line of travel, a framework to which said casing is secured, a rotating chopping and gathering structure journalled in said casing and substantially co-axial therewith, for chopping and gathering standing crops, and including a plurality of radially positioned hammers, an upper discharge spout communicating directly through an upper portion of said casing, the lower end of said spout being substantially coextensive with said casing, the direction of rotation of the ends of said radially positioned hammers being such that when chopping said crops approximately at ground level or thereabove, said ends will travel in the same direction as that in which said machine is traveling, whereby said chopped crop will be impelled directly from said hammers upwardly into said spout and outwardly through the end of said spout, the discharge end of said spout being substantially smaller in area than the lower end thereof.

3. A crop gathering machine comprising a semi-cylindrical casing having its concavity facing downwardly and disposed transversely of the line of travel, a framework to which said casing is secured, a rotating chopping and gathering structure journalled in said casing and substantially co-axial therewith for chopping and gathering standing crops, and including a plurality of radially positioned hammers, an upper discharge spout communicating directly through an upper portion of said casing, the lower end of said spout being substantially coextensive with said casing, the direction of rotation of the ends of said radially positioned hammers being such that when chopping said crops approximately at ground level or thereabove, said ends will travel in the same direction as that in which said machine is traveling, whereby said chopped crop will be impelled directly from said hammers upwardly into said spout and outwardly through the end of said spout, said casing including a transversely positioned cutting bar attached along one of its lower edges and toward which said hammers rotate, the inner edge of said cutting bar being spaced from said hammers.

4. A crop gathering machine comprising a semi-cylindrical casing having its concavity facing downwardly and disposed transversely of the line of travel, a framework to which said casing is secured, a rotating chopping and gathering structure journalled in said casing and substantially co-axial therewith, for chopping and gather ing standing crops, and including a plurality of radially positioned hammers, an upper discharge spout communicating directly through an upper portion of said casing, the lower end of said spout being substantially co-extensive with said casing, the direction of rotation of the ends of said radially positioned hammers being such that when chopping said crops approximately at ground level or thereabove, said ends will travel in the same direction as that in which said machine is traveling, whereby said'chopped crop will be impelled directly from said hammers upwardly into said spout and outwardly through the end of said spout, the discharge end of said spout being substantially smaller in area than the lower end thereof, said casing including a transversely positioned cutting bar attached along one of its lower edges and toward which said hammers rotate, the inner edge of said cutting bar being spaced from said hammers Bennett et al Feb. 12, 1952 Haban Nov. 17, 1953 

